New Year brings start of furlough days for County Council

Council offices closed January 2

On Friday, January 2, 2009, King County’s legislative branch will take the first of 10 unpaid furlough days. The County Council will be closed January 2.

County employees proposed the furlough as a means to help close the 2009 King County budget gap while preserving as many jobs as possible. On December 15, the Council unanimously ratified the proposal.

Due to the intensive work required during the annual budget cycle late in the year, the Council is adopting a furlough schedule for the Legislative branch of County government that is slightly different from that negotiated for the Executive branch:

The separately-elected officials of the County, including the Sheriff, Prosecutor and the Superior and District Court, will determine their own furlough schedules.